The Seamstress; or, The White Slave of England — page 124: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

_self fully and unreservedly to you.” THE SEAMSTRESS. 117 | abandoned themselves to the raptures, the joys, ' : and the delights of their passion. Nor did they ee ae ae from this intoxication of the feelings and the senses until a frightful peril stared them in RETROSPECT OVER THE SCENE IN TIE | the face: for the young lady was in a way to be- CONSERVATORY, 'come a mother! In her despair she threw herself pt ‘at the feet of her parents and confessed everything. Tat outpouring of the varied and conflicting ; You may conjecture their dismay—their rage— feelings which had concentrated themselves in the | their consternation: but nothing could exceed the bosom of the Duchess of Belmont, proved a signal wildness of their daughter’s grief when she found relief ;—and rising her head, she wiped the traces that so far from gaining the hoped-for end by her of tears from her cheeks, composed her looks, and ayowal, she had produced a result utterly fatal to bent her eyes upon the Marquis with an expression her happiness. The expectation was that her which seemed to inquire how far she should be parents, in order to rescue her from disgrace and justified in trusting him. He understood the shame, would at once assent to her union with her meaning of the gaze ;—and in a low soft tone he lover: but, instead of adopting this course, they said, “I perceive that you have a secret which you immediately took counsel together how they coula are more than half inclined to reveal tome? Rest best hush up the matter. Swayed by mingled en- assured, my dear mother-in-law, that I am fully treaties, threats, and misrepresentations,—these deserving of your confidence—especially as I in- last being to the effect that the young lady herself tend, ere we separate this night, to unbosom my- had fallen into her parents’ views,—the disconso- late lover was persuaded to quit London and pro- “Listen to me, Charles—and give me your at- ceed to Ireland, where a government situation was - -—-—_—- --— OS OOo —_ —— | tention,” said the Duchess of Belmont, after a few procured for him. Arrangements were made with moments’ deep meditation. “I am about to tell the utmost caution and secrecy for the young lady’s you a tale which may not at first appear to have confinement. The widow of the land-steward upon any connexion with the topic of our discourse, but her father’s estate was taken into confidence ; and which nevertheless will prove in the end to be inti- | this female, who was of the highest respectability, mately associated with it.” was placed in possession of a neat little house in “Proceed, my dear mother-in-law,” said the the suburbs of London. There the young lady be- Marquis: “ I am prepared to listen with attention ' came the mother of a female infant, which was and with interest.” ' adopted by the widow-woman as her own. The “Some years ago, Charles,” resumed the Duchess young lady’s parents made some arrangement with of Belmont, “ there was a young lady belonging to a lawyer, whose name I never learnt, to pay the one of the noblest families in the realm, and who woman a certain quarterly stipend: but the man of was worshipped as the,star of the fashionable business was not of course acquainted with the world. She was said to be beautitul and accom- mystery attending the affair. Four years after the plished ; and if the homage otf a host of admirers birth of her child, the young lady was forced into and the address of a train of suitors were to be re- a marriage with one of the proudest Dukes in garded as a criterion, then assuredly did the England’s catalogue of nobles ie tongue of fame exaggerate nothing in respect to| “Mother-in-law,” said Charles, seizing the hand the young lady’s personal charms and mental at- of the Duchess as he thus interrupted her, and tractions. But she was neither vain nor ambitious: gazing steadfastly upon her countenance,—“ par- though courted by Dukes, Marquises, Earls, and don me if I wound the feelings of your soul or Viscounts,—though gallant officers knelt at her bring a blush to yeur cheek—but I am at no loss feet and great statesmen wooed her smiles,—she to penetrate the meaning of your narrative !”’ eared for none of these, but bestowed her love upon! “Nor did I intend that you should be, Charles,” a poor, obscure, and almost friendless young gen- murmured the Duchess, with downcast looks: tleman who acted as her father’s private secretary. “but I thought that I would break to you the his- They loyed—that high-born lady and that obscure tory of my shame gradually, rather than avow it young man,—they loved with a sincerity, a fond- all in a moment—and likewise k ness, and an ardour such as only romancistsare sup- “And likewise unfold to me by degrees the fact posed to depict or poets to feel. And in the im- which nevertheless is so startling—so amazing—so passioned mingling of the spirit that warmed them bewildering,” exclaimed Charles,—“ that Virginia both and flashed from their eyes in delicious Mordaunt———” transfusion,—in those melting looks of sunny ten-' “Is my own child!” added the Duchess, clasping derness which they were wont to fix upon each her hands together and bowing her head forward: other,—in those sighs of love and passion which then, as she remained for more than a minute in they heaved, and those caresses which they ex- that attitude, motionless and silent, she resembled changed with so fond an ardour,—in all this con- a sculptured effigy of woful shame. centration of fervid feelings and elysian emotions “Your own child!’ murmured Charles, likewise was their sense of prudence lost! They loved in clasping his hands—but in mingled anguish and secret—the world suspected not the tender mys- despair. “O! where art thou, Virginia P’ he tery ;—and they knew that it was useless—vain— cried aloud: “where art thou, my angel and my insensate to dream or hope that the young lady’s beauty ?” parents would ever assent to her union with one| ‘You know not, then, where she is, Charles?” who possessed neither fortune nor high-birth. said the Duchess, raising her head at length and Therefore the word ‘marriage’ was never breathed gazing earnestly upon her son-in-law. between that tender pair: and reckless of the con-| ‘“ Would to God that I could discover her abode !” sequences—or rather, absorbed wholly and entirely ejaculated the. young man. “ But I am ignorant in the delicious day-dream of their love—they of everything that concerns her now—I know not CSS see a — -— ——__- — —_ — —— — — + CORNICE OOOKS Cc (0) =